At the request of the court, French hydrocarbon giant TotalEnergies announced on Tuesday, November 25, its decision to “demobilization of its floating LNG terminal in Le Havre”in Seine-Maritime, installed after the 2022 energy crisis to supply gas to France and Europe, but the group did not assess “no longer needed today”.
“The condition of gas supplies in France and Europe has now stabilized, the Company notes that the floating LNG terminal in Le Havre is no longer necessary at this time, as evidenced by the lack of use and as noted by the Rouen administrative court in its decision of 16 October 2025”the group said in a press release.
THAT Cape Anna ship equipped with regasification equipment, docked in October 2023 at the port of Le Havre, to secure supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) – gas in liquid form sent by ships from production areas to the country. Its installation was decided in 2022 and authorized by decree in April 2023, in the context of the war in Ukraine and concerns about energy shortages in Europe, linked to the virtual disruption of Russian gas deliveries via land gas pipelines.
TotalEnergies emphasizes ownership “provided to France, at its expense and without any public subsidy”This terminal acts as a “safety net”if a peak in demand or supply tension occurs, highlight the group in the press release. “TotalEnergies has fully contributed to the country’s energy sovereignty in a very tense and uncertain context”he argued.
Various legal remedies
But the project faces multiple legal challenges filed by environmental defense associations in the name of the fight against global warming. They ultimately won their case in a Rouen administrative court ruling that ordered the government to revoke the decision allowing the installation of the terminal. “within two months”.
The threat of energy shortages has now been put aside and no longer justifies the existence and operation of the terminal, especially the arguments of the association Ecologie pour le Havre, which was the origin of the call. That ship too “inactive since August 2024”without any gas deliveries, emphasized Pierre Dieulafait, president of the association.
Following the court decision, “The state will soon issue an order to end the operation of the floating LNG terminal”announced by the Ministry of Energy, attached to Bercy. “In the coming weeks, the country will support the departure of the LNG terminal in the best conditions and consult with various relevant stakeholders”according to the same source.
In its latest annual report, the International Energy Agency predicted a glut of LNG on world markets in the coming years, particularly fueled by a number of projects in the United States.
